


Love Came In With A Bang

by Bicoco



Category: Magnum P.I. (TV 2018)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-14
Updated: 2020-07-18
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:47:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25262575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bicoco/pseuds/Bicoco
Summary: In episode 1x18, Magnum tells Katsumoto that Higgins woke him up every hour when she thought he had a concussion. This is my version of what happened.
Relationships: Juliet Higgins & Thomas Sullivan Magnum IV, Juliet Higgins/Thomas Sullivan Magnum IV
Comments: 46
Kudos: 167





	1. Chapter 1

Hello everybody!

I was rather intrigued by the conversation between Magnum and Katsumoto in 1x18 so I decided to write my own version of the night Higgins woke Magnum up every hour. It started as a short and funny one but, as I wrote it, feels got in the way and it's now 2 chapters long and a little bit angsty in the last part. For once, though there's no smut. I rated it T for safety but it's rather soft. Also, I don't have any medical knowledge so sorry if it's not really accurate.

I'll post chapter 2 during the weekend.

Oh and today is National Day in France, so I wish a great Bastille Day to my fellow French compatriots lurking out there ;).

As always, I don't own the characters, just borrowing them.

* * *

Juliet opened the front gate of Robin’s Nest for Detective Katsumoto. It was almost midnight and he was driving Magnum home after their search in the forest. She joined both men in the guesthouse, not because she was worried about Magnum, but because she was a diligent majordomo.

“What happened?”, she cried out as she saw the PI slumped on the couch, his head resting on the back cushions with his eyes closed.

Gordon whirled around at her interjection. He was pacing near the pool table with his phone to his ear. Just at that moment, Higgins’ own phone started vibrating in her back pocket.

“I was just calling you.”, he calmly stated. “You might want to keep an eye on him during the night.”

He gestured to Magnum’s slouched form.

“You didn’t answer me.”, she scolded and crossed her arms under her breasts.

“His head met a shovel, well the other way around, and he passed out.”, he sighed. “He might have a concussion.”

“A concussion? Why isn’t he in a hospital then?”, she argued.

“He didn’t want to go; it’s not like I could force him.”

She was about to retort that, as a police detective he most definitely could, when the subject of their discussion intruded on their conversation.

“I’m right here, you know. And before you say anything Higgins, I’m feeling fine.”

She rolled her eyes.

“Of course you are. That’s all you’re ever feeling anyway.”, she sarcastically acknowledged. “Are you nauseous?”

“No, I’m not.”, he answered automatically.

Katsumoto looked from Juliet to Thomas before deciding to retreat from one of their famous verbal sparring that would most likely give him a headache.

“I’ll leave you both to it. Magnum, I’ll drop by in the morning when you’re feeling better. Goodnight.”

And with that, he was gone, leaving the PI and the majordomo in a staring contest.

Magnum stood up and, if it weren’t for Higgins’ excellent sense of observation, he might have been able to hide the fact that he stumbled slightly on his first step.

“Maybe I should spend the night in the guesthouse so I could keep an eye on you.”, she proposed in a concerned tone.

“Are you looking for an excuse to sleep with me, Higgy?”, he tried to joke but it fell flat since they’re weren’t used to rib each other with sexual innuendos.

She raised her eyebrows and threw him a glare that showed him she wasn’t impressed with his diversion technic.

“In your dreams, Magnum.”

He sighed tiredly.

“Do what you gotta do, Higgy. I’m going to bed.”

And with that, he disappeared upstairs, leaving Juliet conflicted with her thoughts. She knew she would have to wake him up every hour or so, to check for any disorientation and confusion, and it would be much more practical to stay nearby. On the other hand, she felt uneasy at invading his private space.

Worry trumped her personal consideration and she headed to the main house to grab her essentials to pull an all-nighter in the guesthouse: laptop, headphones, book, toiletries and pajamas since she was still dressed. She was confident Magnum wouldn’t mind if she took a shower at his place between two wake-up calls.

Once she had all the necessary items, she made her way back to the guesthouse and killed all the lights downstairs before climbing the stairs to the bedroom. She smiled slightly when she saw the bedside lamp was still on, casting a soft light in the room. He knew she wouldn’t listen to him and come anyway.

He was clearly sound asleep, lying on his stomach and clutching his pillow which showcased his strong naked shoulders. Juliet exhaled a relieved sigh at the sight of his boxers’ waistband peeking out of the flimsy sheet covering his lower body.

‘At least, I don’t have to worry about him being completely nude.’

She dropped her bag on the armchair in the corner and checked the time on her phone: 12:40AM. She would have to wake him in less than a half hour so she decided to take a shower and change. She went to look for the towels she knew were in the walk-in closet but came up empty.

‘What on Earth did Magnum do with all the towels?’, she thought.

Of course, since she assumed she would grab one of his, she didn’t bring her own towel. She sighed as she snatched his bathrobe from the back of the second armchair on her way to the bathroom. She would not dwell on the fact that it smelled just like him. She pushed the door behind her but didn’t close it in case he needed something.

She turned on the water and placed the robe nearby before shedding all of her clothes. She was about to step under the water when she remembered she had forgotten her shower gel in her bag. She groaned and slipped on Magnum’s robe before tiptoeing back to the bedroom.

‘Maybe someone ought to test my own cognitive reflexes as well.’

Thomas hadn’t moved an inch since the last time she had checked. She snatched the bottle from her bag as well as her pajamas and was making her way back to the bathroom when he stirred and opened his eyes. He blinked several times and frowned when he saw her.

“Are you wearing my robe?”, he asked in a gravelly voice.

She froze and rolled her eyes.

‘Evidently, he had to wake up the moment I was standing in front of him, wearing only his bathrobe.’

She met his eyes and a smirk was adorning his sleepy face.

“Why yes, Magnum, I am! Because apparently all your towels disappeared from the closet and you don’t have anything else that I could use to dry myself up. You want to tell me what happened to the towels?”

He frowned, thinking about it and, if he remembered it would act as one check-up and she wouldn’t have to wake him up again in fifteen minutes. He lifted his head and supported the extra weight on his hand.

“Oh yeah, I used them a few days ago when I threw a pool party with Rick, T.C and…”, he hesitated, clearly uncomfortable. “Other people. Didn’t have time to wash them, sorry.”

“Oh, other people? You mean lady friends, right? Because I seem to recall the state the pool deck was in, the day after. Apparently, you are friends with the only female Europeans who can’t tolerate a bikini top, aren’t you?”, she admonished. “And by the way, we have beach towels in the main house, why did you use bath towel at the pool?”

“Worked the same.”, he shrugged and dropped his head back on his pillow as if it was weighing a ton.

She shook her head. ‘Men!’

“Go back to sleep, I’ll wake you up in an hour.”, she said as she turned towards the bathroom. She heard his groan when she pushed the door behind her again.

This time, there were no more mishap so she successfully showered and changed into a white tank top and pink shorts. She brushed her teeth and hanged his bathrobe to dry before exiting the bathroom.

He was back asleep, in the same position, but he had shifted slightly. Earlier, he had been occupying the whole bed, lying almost diagonally but now his legs were tugged on the right side, as if he had made room for her. She went to retrieve her cellphone, laptop, headphones and book before climbing next to him, sitting against the headboard, her legs spread out on the mattress.

She set up an alarm every hour on her cellphone and opened her laptop, that was perched on her thighs, to start a chess game. Her gaze often strayed to the man lying next to her and, at one point, she noticed that he had turned his head and was facing her. She observed his slackened features, from his soft-looking forehead to his slightly open lips from where were escaping deep breaths. The ever present laugh lines at the corner of his eyes were smoothed, making him appear that much younger and innocent.

Juliet was aware that he was a handsome man, she had been the moment she had met him. But after everything they had been through this last year and learning everything they learnt about each other, she had felt a shift in their relationship. They were certainly more friendly. Maybe they understood each other’s motivations better or maybe working on letting people in, like she had promised Kumu, finally made her acknowledge all the great qualities he possessed.

She sometimes wondered how he could be so cheerful after everything he went through: the death of his father, Afghanistan, the P.O.W, his mother’s death while he was in captivity, Hannah’s betrayal, Nuzo’s death. Most people would have just given up, or at least developed unhealthy defense mechanisms like drugs or alcohol. But not Thomas. He picked up the pieces and built himself a satisfying life in Hawaii with his brothers in arms, worked as a PI to keep helping people and even found the strength within him to still believe in love since he started dating this lawyer.

Higgins was kind of envying him for, not only overcoming the obstacles, but also rising above them. Most of the time she felt like a prisoner within her own walls. She originally put them up to protect herself from hurting again after Richard’s death but lately she was starting to suffocate, like she was trapped in her own body. The only breath of fresh air she got was when she was working with the man next to her, like his optimism was rubbing on her. And that fact was making her reevaluate her whole relationship with Magnum.

She felt her phone vibrate next to her, indicating it was time to wake him up. She deactivated the alarm and gently shook his shoulder.

“Magnum. Wake up.”, she whispered.

He groaned and burrowed his nose more deeply into his pillow and it was _not_ adorable _at all_.

“Come on, Magnum, it’s time for your quiz. Chop, chop.”, she urged.

He opened the one eye that wasn’t buried in his pillow and tried to glare at her but it severely lacked heat.

“Tell me, who is the President of Spain?”, she asked with a rise of her eyebrows.

He huffed and crossed his arms on the pillow so he could lay his head on them.

“I don’t know Higgins, don’t you have an easier question?”, he grumbled.

“It’s not that hard and besides it was a trick question because Spain is a monarchy so they don’t have a President.”

“Please, don’t make me roll my eyes, it hurts.”, he retorted.

“Ok then, who is the President of the USA?”

“An orange clown.”, he deadpanned.

She narrowed her eyes.

“I guess a sarcastic answer can work. You’re crabby in the morning.”, she taunted him.

“It’s not morning, it’s the middle of the night! And you would be crabby too if I was in your bed annoying you every hour when you tried to sleep.”, he huffed.

“It’s for your own good, Thomas.”

He deflated at her words.

“I know.”

“You can go back to sleep if you want.”, she said as she looked back to her computer screen.

He pushed his pillow closer to her hips and rolled on his side, facing her.

“What are you doing?”, he asked during a large yawn, trying to look at her screen.

She scrunched her nose in distaste.

“Put your hand in front of your mouth, I don’t need to see your tonsils.”

“And, going back to sleep.”, he mocked her as he closed his eyes.

She sighed. She didn’t mean to berate him, not when he was just being nice to her.

“Does your head hurt? Do you need some painkillers?”, she asked as a peace offering.

He cleared his throat.

“No, I’m okay, just sleepy.”

“Well, get some rest because you’ll be up again in an hour.”, she told him softly.

She waited until he was deeply asleep before she got up and went downstairs to grab a bottle of water from the fridge. When she went back up she made a detour to the bathroom to use the toilets and resumed her position on the bed. This time she shut down her laptop and took her book. She was so enthralled by her reading that she nearly jumped out of her skin when his hand landed on her shin, transferring his body heat to her. She observed him but he remained out cold. She debated whether to remove it or not but decided against it since it was not on an intimate spot. Besides, it felt kind of nice.

She paused for a minute, dropping her book on her lap, and studied the domestic picture the two of them were making. They looked like a couple, perfectly at ease to share their bed, him not able to keep his hands to himself, even in sleep, and her fighting the urge to comb her fingers in his hair. The thought shook her slightly because she could imagine them being in love with each other, worse, she actually ached for this dream to come true.

Juliet checked her phone: 2:50AM. Only ten minutes before the next wake-up call. She felt the fatigue settle in her bones and in her eyes. She decided that, after the next alarm she would try to catch up on some sleep herself, at least she wouldn’t think about her feelings. She yawned and placed her novel on the bedside table next to her, not in the mood to read anymore. She focused her gaze on him again, as if she was a moth drawn to a flame. He let out a small snore and she smiled despite herself, finding him even more adorable.

She really must be tired to entertain these kind of sentimental thoughts. Usually, the words ‘Magnum’ and ‘adorable’ didn’t belong in the same phrase, not when she was doing the talking, or in this case, the thinking.

Her phone vibrated next to her and she quickly stopped the alarm in case it woke Magnum up. She knew that was precisely the point but Juliet wanted to be the one rousing him. She slid down the mattress and rolled on her side to face him, which removed his hand from her leg. This time she didn’t resist and trailed her fingers through his hair before caressing the shell of his ear with her thumb.

His sleepy moan caused butterflies to swarm inside her belly but she didn’t have time to dwell on that because he opened his warm but tired eyes. He didn’t appear surprised to see her lying down right in front of him, he even seemed pleased if the smile he was sporting was any indication.

“Told you, you wanted to sleep with me.”, he hummed.

She rolled her eyes but didn’t deny it this time, even though she wasn’t thinking about having sex with him right now, but literally sleeping. She dropped her hand before he got the wrong idea about why she was touching him.

“What day is it?”, she asked without preamble.

And if her presence in his bed didn’t surprise him, her question did.

“Uh… Thursday?”, he guessed.

Since it was 3AM it was technically Friday but she let it slide.

“How are you feeling?”, she inquired.

He frowned.

“Worse now that you stopped scratching my scalp. That felt really good.”

He offered her the most innocent face he could muster which made her scoff.

“You’re fine.”

“Oh, so it’s okay to do it while I’m unconscious but when I ask for a little bit of solace, it’s not?”

She sighed. He had a point and Juliet felt like a coward, only touching him when he wasn’t aware. He deserved to know what she felt. Maybe it was time to go after what she wanted.

‘Before some skinny lawyer took it right in front of her eyes.’, her mind supplied.

“Where were you hit?”

She was just asking so she wouldn’t accidentally touch the sensitive area but he grabbed her hand and directed her palm on top of a pretty sizeable bump at the back of his head.

“Ouch. Maybe we should have iced it.”, she whispered, inching closer to him as she gently grazed the spot with her thumb.

“I’ve seen worse.”, he murmured.

They shared a moment as they looked into each other’s eyes, her soft strokes on his scalp almost hypnotic but something made her blink and suddenly she realized the position they were currently in and she dropped her hand.

“You should sleep; you only have…”. She checked her phone. “50 minutes before the next alarm.”

“You should too, you look exhausted.”, he suggested when he grazed the pad of his thumb under one of her eye in an attempt to soothe the delicate skin where a dark circle was forming.

She rolled on her other side to turn off the bedside lamp. When the darkness settled she relaxed on the mattress, facing away from him. She felt him cover her with the sheet and her heart rate increased slightly.

“Goodnight, Higgy.”, he breathed.

“Goodnight, Thomas.”, she responded in an equally quiet tone, not sure about what had just transpired between them.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

She was floating. Wherever she was, she was warm, safe and felt as light as a feather but something dark and deafening was lurking, threatening to endanger her own little haven. She frowned as she heard loud noises all around her but couldn’t identify them.

Something was shifting next to her which put all her senses on alert. Her eyes popped open and, when she didn’t recognize her surroundings, she panicked. She tried to sit up but something wrapped tightly around her was preventing her from doing so. She froze, but before she could truly fight against this invisible force, she heard a familiar voice grumble.

“Easy, Juliet.”

“Magnum?”, she asked as she relaxed once she knew she wasn’t in a perilous situation.

“Yeah, it was just the 4AM alarm. Man, you were out of it. I had to practically climb over you to get to your phone.”

Now that she was more awake, she was aware of her surroundings and, more importantly, what was keeping her down on the bed. It was Magnum. They were apparently spooning, or he was spooning her since she hadn’t moved an inch from her initial position. But his torso was glued to her back, his arm wrapped around her waist and, judging from the way she felt his breath against her ear, they were sharing the same pillow.

“Why are you snuggled up against me, Magnum?”, she wanted to sound stern but her voice was all gravelly from sleep.

“Don’t know. I woke up like this. Can’t say I’m complaining though.”, he explained as he burrowed his face into her neck like it was an everyday occurrence for him to be in this position. “Was that your test question?”

Higgins forced herself to take some deep breaths to regulate her heart rate after her fright when she woke up but she couldn’t relax with Magnum pressed against her, as enjoyable as it felt.

“Would you mind?”, she asked sharply as she wriggled out of his embrace.

He let her go immediately and went back to his former spot, on his own pillow. She immediately felt horrible for dismissing him like that. It wasn’t his fault she harbored romantic feelings for him and he only saw her as a friend.

“I’m sorry, Thomas. I was just disoriented when I woke up and I was surprised to feel you against me.”, she apologized.

She turned around and lied on her back, angling her head towards him. The room was still in the dark but the moon light was allowing them to distinguish each other. He rolled on his back too but winced when the back of his head touched the pillow so he resumed his earlier position, facing her.

“It’s okay. I should have known you would be uncomfortable waking up like this.”

“It’s not that!”, she hurriedly countered. “I was quite cozy actually, I’m just not sure it’s…”, she hesitated. “Appropriate for us to be in bed like that when you’re dating someone else.”

She closed her eyes briefly in dismay, hoping he couldn’t see her. That was, by far, the lamest excuse she could have come up with to explain her skittish behavior. If Thomas had been reciprocating her feelings, she couldn’t have cared less about his new girlfriend, as shameful as it sounded. At least, she admitted she had been comfortable in his arms.

“We only went on one date and didn’t even kiss. I don’t think spooning would be considered as cheating at this point.”, he chuckled and she was glad he didn’t hold a grudge. He never seemed to.

She took a deep breath to try and get rid of her residual tension. She closed her eyes hoping sleep would claim her soon enough.

“Juliet?”, he whispered.

She hummed, not really up to have a conversation with him right then.

“You didn’t quiz me to see if I was okay.”

She chuckled. Only Magnum would be annoyed by something but miss it once you took it away from him.

“You seemed lucid enough when we talked. But I can think of something if you want.”

“No, it’s okay. Goodnight.”

XXXXX

This time, when her phone vibrated at 5AM, she woke up instantly. She was also immediately aware of Magnum’s weight on her, pinning her to the mattress. She was still on her back but he was half sprawled across her body, his face buried into her neck yet again, their legs tangled and his arm wrapped around her, anchoring her to him. She felt more than heard his soft snores against her shoulder.

‘Am I wearing a magnet or something that he always ends up pressed against me?’

She reached out her arm to grab her phone and turn off the alarm but all her hand managed to grasp was the bed. She looked on her right and she understood that she was lying in the middle of the bed hence the difficulties to get to the bedside table. She really couldn’t blame him this time around since she was apparently the one invading his space.

“Magnum!”

She tried to keep her voice down but conveyed the urgency of the situation in her tone. He stirred against her and sighed.

“Mmmh?”

“I need you to move, I can’t reach my phone.”, she softly said, trying to make up for the way she snapped at him earlier.

He groaned but slid his upper body off of her so she could extend her shoulder. When the alarm was off she resumed her position since their legs were still entwined. He instantly returned to his previous location, taking a deep breath into her neck. There was no doubt Thomas Magnum was a snuggler.

“I’m so exhausted, I don’t think I’ll be of any help to Katsumoto in a couple of hours.”, he mumbled against her and she shivered when his lips made contact with her skin.

“How’s your head?”, she asked as she gently ran her fingers through the back of his skull.

“Okay, I guess.”, he muttered while shrugging and Higgins sensed how his shoulders trembled against her with the move.

There was apparently no point in trying to disengage herself from him so she resigned herself and slid her hand back on the bed. She was starting to drift back to sleep when she heard him.

“Higgy?”

“Yeah, I know, I didn’t quiz you.”, she muttered, half-awake.

“No, it’s not that. Well yes, there’s also that, but I was wondering if you were okay.”

Her eyes snapped open.

“I’m not the one with the potential concussion, Thomas. Why wouldn’t I be okay?”

“I don’t know; I just feel like you aren’t acting Higgins-like.”

She chuckled humorlessly.

“Do tell, what does an action exactly entails to be labelled as Higgins-like?”

“Well, for one, the real Higgins would have booted me for being sprawled on top on her.”

“I can’t believe I’m actually saying this but you know I’m not a fake Higgins, right?”

“I know; I’m just worried that’s all.”

As he expressed his concern, he slid his hand to her waist and grazed his thumb across her ribs as if he was trying to play guitar on her body. Her breath hitched and her heart rate raced which didn’t escape his notice as she felt his lips turn up in a smile against the tender skin of her neck.

“Well, I’m perfectly fine, though I’m sure I will be needing a nap later today.”

She would have been perfectly credible if she didn’t sound so breathless.

“Oh, good. I was afraid the new dynamic in our relationship would cause some awkwardness.”, he said lightly and Higgins had the suspicion he was baiting her.

“What new dynamic?”, she asked, too curious not to fall for it.

He raised his head from her shoulder and leant it in his hand so he could see her as much as he could in the semi-darkness.

“You know, casually checking the other out, almost always working together now, thinly veiled jealousy when the other is going out on a date. Feel free to stop me at any point.”, he enunciated playfully.

She extricated herself from his body so as to focus on what he was telling her. She was now on her side, facing him.

“Excuse me? When have I checked you out? And when have I been jealous of your dozens of one-night stands?”, she questioned indignantly.

“There! Right there! The ‘dozens of one-night stands’ comment. It clearly screams jealousy to me.”

“You’re delusional!”, she scoffed.

“Am I? Because I sure as hell felt it when you went on that date with what’s his name last week.”, he argued and she was startled by his outburst.

“You were jealous of that baseball player? I thought you liked him! You even wanted to come along.”

“I wanted to come with you so I could put a claim on you, like some big cave man! And don’t look at me like that, I was as surprised as you are. I’m not usually so primitive when I like a woman.”

Juliet was baffled which rendered her speechless. Was he explaining that he had feelings for her and it made him jealous of her date?

“Say something, Higgy.”, he pleaded her.

“What? Why are you saying something right now? When it’s…”, she checked the time on her phone. “5:17AM and we’re both completely exhausted and you have a potential concussion and I can’t put a thought into words if my life depended on it!”

“You seem to manage quite well.”, he joked as a way to diffuse the tension between them.

“Magnum!”, she groaned as she sat up and put her face in her hands.

This couldn’t be happening right now. What was with this night? First she discovered her own feelings for the PI, then he all but admitted his own for her. How was she supposed to cope with all of this?

“I’m sorry to drop this on you now but it’s not like it’s a major surprise. We’ve been headed this way for a while now.”

She turned her head to him.

“How so?”

“Come on, our constant bickering has felt more like some weird foreplay than anything for the last few months now. Since we learned about our past love lives we’ve developed a closer relationship. I don’t even have to beg you for a favor during my cases anymore.”

She had to admit he was right but that didn’t mean they had to act on those feelings and she needed him to accept that fact.

“What’s your point, Magnum?”

“What’s my point? Higgy, I’m currently admitting that I have feelings for you that go beyond friendship, that made me want to punch a baseball player I adore, and you’re asking what my point is?”

He was looking at her like she was insane, and maybe she was, but she was terrified above all. Maybe he deserved to know the truth about her own feelings.

She cleared her throat and lied down on her side again so she could face him. She took a deep breath to try and calm her nerves.

“Magnum, I’m not going to lie to you, I’ve been having these same feelings for you lately but I’m not sure I’m ready to act on them. Maybe I’ll never be ready, I don’t know. All I know is that I like where we are right now.”

He slid closer to her while remaining almost two feet away so as to not scare her.

“I know you were deeply hurt when you lost your fiancé, as you should be. But Juliet, it doesn’t mean you have to keep your heart under lock and key forever.”

“I don’t think I can go through that again. It almost killed me.”, she whispered and she didn’t know what made her confess like that, maybe it was the darkness, the fatigue or the fact that she knew Magnum would never judge her. “You and I are both magnets for danger. We’re constantly hurt, or threatened or at risk of being killed. What if we get together and I lose you too?”

She did her best to keep her tears at bay but she couldn’t hold the emotion from her voice.

“Juliet, we’re not together now and if something were to happen to you, it would kill me all the same. And I’m sure you feel the same. Not acting on our feelings doesn’t mean they’re not there already.”

She knew he was right because a simple concussion got her worried. She would be devastated if she lost him, even if she wasn’t in a relationship with him. But she wasn’t holding back solely because of the danger they faced on a daily basis.

“When I was growing up, I didn’t have a lot of friends and my family was not what you could call warm. Since I’ve been here and known you, I finally felt like I belonged, not only with you but also with Rick, TC and Kumu. What if we don’t work out together? I’ll be all alone again.”

“Now, you’re just looking for excuses. Why wouldn’t we work out?”

“We’re always fighting, Magnum! We’re just so different!”

“We’re not fighting, we’re bickering, that’s not the same. Look, I know what you’re trying to do, you’re trying to convince yourself we’re doomed from the start but let me tell you something.” He slid even closer, leaving only a foot between them. “Do you know what I’ve learned from all the terrible things that happened to me?”

She shook her head, almost in awe of this version of Thomas Magnum, so confident and so serious.

“Life is short and unpredictable so the best you can do is make the most of it while you can.”, he paused to let it sink. “I know it sounds like a saying found in a fortune cookie but this mantra has stayed with me ever since I escaped the POW. If I could survive 18 months in this Hell hole, I could deal with whatever life threw at me.”

He risked a hand on her hip and, when he didn’t get slapped for it, stroked her side with his thumb.

“Though, I didn’t expect life to test me so soon with your Hellhounds.”, he quipped to alleviate the glum atmosphere between them and grinned when he managed to draw a small smile out of her. “What I’m saying Higgy, is that we’ll never have certitudes about anything before we try. But one thing is certain: if we don’t move forwards in our relationship, we’ll both have regrets eventually.”

“So we’re supposed to just take a leap of faith and hope for the best?”, she whispered, not entirely convinced by his speech.

“I didn’t say that. Relationships require work and I think ours will take extra work! I’m willing to take the risk to jump in a relationship with you, yes, but I’m also ready to do what it takes to make it last.”

She closed her eyes for a second, not really believing what she was hearing.

“Ok, are you sure you’re not suffering of some mind altering injury after your trauma? Because I’ve never known you to be so mature and relevant.”

“Does that mean I convinced you?”, he asked, hopeful.

She cupped his jaw and stroked his cheekbone with her thumb.

“It means you’ll have to keep convincing me until I’m 100% sure.”

His smile was so wide she was dazzled by it, especially since the sun was rising and she could almost see him as well as in broad daylight.

“I can work with that.”

He closed the distance between them and joined their lips in a soft, chaste kiss. Her hand slid to the back of his neck, keeping him in place as she slowly opened up for him so he could mingle his tongue with hers. She didn’t expect to feel so much with just a kiss, but who was she kidding? This was Magnum. He had a way of sneaking up on her, always surprising her.

He was mindful of her, keeping the kiss light and staying a few inches away from her body, willing to let her decide what was okay or not.

They broke apart to catch their breaths but, as soon as their eyes met, their lips stretched up in matching beaming grins.

“Wow, I can’t believe I’m kissing former MI6 agent Juliet Higgins.”, he raved and if she didn’t see the glint in his eyes she would have thought he was mocking her.

She chuckled and pulled him to her again. This time he didn’t hold back and dragged her flush against his body. She moaned and marveled at the way they fit against one another, like they were two pieces of puzzle meant to find each other.

He pushed her slightly so she could roll on her back and he could cover her body but she stilled him.

“Do you mind if we take things slow?”, she asked.

“Oh, I wasn’t going to go further than kissing. I’m sorry if you thought otherwise.”, he spluttered, clearly uncomfortable she thought he would be expecting something more.

She quickly reassured him.

“Hey, it’s okay, I wasn’t assuming anything. I was just thinking ahead and you being on top of me while we make out might make it difficult for us to stop before we take things too far.”

He started answering her that he understood completely when the sound of her phone vibrating interrupted him. She reached behind her to turn off the 6AM alarm.

“Wow, I can’t believe it’s already 6AM. Time flies when you’re enjoying yourself, right?”, he smirked as he ran his palms up and down her back.

“It sure does.”, she concurred as she pecked him on the lips. “How are you feeling?”

“I feel fantastic.”, he answered tightening his arms around her.

“I meant your head.”, she chuckled.

“Oh, it’s okay.”

“Maybe we should try and sleep a bit more before Katsumoto comes pick you up.”, she suggested.

“You’re right.”, he sighed but didn’t seem eager to let her out of his sight.

She turned around in his arms and let him spoon her like earlier, wrapping her in his embrace. This time she enjoyed it immensely as she ran her fingers on his forearm.

“I can’t believe I made a possible life-altering decision on such sleep deprivation. My neurons must be short circuited.”, she scoffed.

“You don’t need sleep to listen to your heart.”

She snorted.

“We’re not in a country song, Magnum.”

“Sentimentalism is not just for country songs, Higgy.”, he laughed.

He deposited a kiss on her shoulder and relaxed behind her, ready to let sleep claim him. She joined him shortly after.

XXXXX

Juliet woke up naturally. She was on her stomach and alone in bed. She frowned and checked the time on her phone. It was 7:20 so, apparently, she didn’t hear the 7AM alarm.

She heard water running in the bathroom guessing where Magnum must be. She rolled on her back and brushed her curls away from her forehead.

‘What a night!’, she thought.

It had been both the longest and most intense night she had experienced in a very long time. Magnum and her were apparently a couple, or least on the way to become one and she had no idea how it all started. He had been worried about her, asked how she was and next thing she knew he was blurting out his feelings for her. That was astonishing to say the least.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn’t hear the shower stop. It wasn’t until he entered her line of vision, dripping wet and wearing only a towel around his waist that she snapped out of it.

“Oh, you’re awake. You could have slept in, you know?”, he told her with a smile, stopping at the foot of the bed.

She frowned, trying not to imagine what she would do if that flimsy cover happened to fall from his hips.

“Where did you get a towel?”, she asked in a slightly raised voice. “I couldn’t find any last night when I showered.”

He shrugged.

“Guess you didn’t look in the right place. There are some in the bathroom closet.”

“Of course there are.”, she huffed.

He laughed at her exasperation and climbed on the bed, on his knees first before lying down on her.

“Magnum! You’re making me all wet!”, she shrieked and realized her mistake before the last words came out of her mouth.

“Oh, really? And I thought you wanted to take things slow.”, he laughed, delighted to get a rise out of her.

She joined him with her own grin when he wrapped his arms around her shoulders for a good morning kiss. She caressed his damp back, careful to stay away from his towel or she would be tempted to tear it away from him.

“Good morning.”, she hummed against his cheek.

“It is a good morning.”, he acquiesced. “So, I was thinking…”, he started as he trailed his fingers in her hair, twirling a curl around his index finger. “Since we’re officially together, it’s high time I take you out for a real date.”

“A date, Magnum? One that doesn’t involve hacking into a computer server or getting a fake identity? Count me in.”

“Great, how about tomorrow night? I think we’ll want to crash early tonight.”, he leered at her.

“What makes you think we’ll spend the night together tonight?”, she taunted him and smirked when she saw his expression crumble.

“Well, I didn’t want to assume of course, but if I promise to behave, would you agree to sleep here tonight?”, he stammered.

“Now, who’s the one trying to find excuses to sleep with me?”, she exclaimed, quite proud of herself.

He huffed.

“Mean!”

She made him forget about their little verbal sparring with her lips on his and they spent a few minutes enjoying each other, until Higgins’ phone vibrated again.

“Another alarm?”, he asked with a frown, surprised time had flown so quickly.

Juliet grabbed her phone and was met with Katsumoto’s face from the camera at the front gate. She let him in.

“No, Gordon is here. You might want to put some clothes on because he’ll be at your door in five minutes.”

He jumped out of bed and raced to the bathroom with a few clothes in hand. He tore the towel away from his hips, granting her an excellent view of his naked ass before he disappeared in the bathroom. Juliet rolled her eyes. He wasn’t going to make it easy for her to take things slow.

While Magnum was greeting Detective Katsumoto downstairs she grabbed her toothbrush and change of clothes before heading towards the bathroom. She heard the two men talk.

“Why did you tell Higgins I had a concussion?”, Magnum asked.

“So she could keep an eye on you.”

“Yeah, she woke me up every hour.”, the PI sighed, sounding annoyed.

“She didn’t want you to die in your sleep.”, Katsumoto explained.

“Yeah, maybe that was it.”, Magnum concurred.

She shook her head; he hadn’t been complaining ten minutes ago.

The young woman got ready and, when the two men left the guesthouse, came downstairs. She smelled the coffee that Magnum had made earlier and poured herself a cup. She saw the bottle of Tylenol on the counter so he must have taken a couple. She didn’t even ask how he was before he went. She reached for her phone in her pocket to send him a quick text.

He answered instantly claiming he was fine, like usual, and ended his message with a heart emoji and a kissing face.

It brought a smile to her face. She had the suspicion she was going to love being in a relationship with Thomas Magnum. Only him could draw out her spontaneous and lighter side from the depths of her protected heart.

Juliet left the guesthouse with her cup of coffee in hand, contemplating her future for the first time since Richard died. She felt like her heart had double in size overnight.

‘All of this because someone banged on Magnum’s head with a shovel. Life was certainly unexpected.’

THE END.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank each and every one of you who read, commented and/or left kudos.
> 
> I feel so welcomed in this fandom and I'm glad to know my fics are appreciated. I hope I'll have inspiration and time in the next few months to continue writing.
> 
> For now, I only have the kissing prompts in the work. I don't have another story started yet so I don't know if I'll post as much as before.
> 
> Until then, take care of yourself. XOXO


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